Somewhere I Belong
by Suchan and Twelve
Summary: COMPLETE. Two young people's l o v e conflicts with society and the honour of Bloor's Academy. Mr. Pilgrim begins to remember...Slash, don't like, don't read. I do NOT tolerate flames.
1. No Tolerance For Love

Somewhere I Belong

PG-13 ish.

Author: Suchan deFamine, alias Poison Candy Sprinkles.

Summary: Two young people's love conflicts with society and the honour of Bloor's Academy. Mr. Pilgrim begins to remember.

Notes: Beware the slashiness, ye gay-fearers! And, since I have this thing that Mr. Pilgrim is Lyell and should wake up any minute… hey, PILGRIM!!! ::clashes cymbals around his ears::

Pilgrim: ::sleeps on:: ZZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZz……

::shrug:: Eh. Well.

OH! Another note: Chaos-Fyre-Elf31, here's your full-length AsaxManfred romance…. :) Muah.

( ":P" indicates a scene change since FFN has been being pretty stupid for a while n it's such a pain to update...)

That said, let us begin….

:P

Chapter 1

:ppppppppppppppppppppppp

They walked side by side, not really talking, pinkies linked, and smiling. The other children in the garden were either running or walking, but scampered away with weird looks when they passed. The bell rang, and everyone headed back inside…except for the two young lovers, fingers entwined.

From his tower, Mr. Pilgrim stared out the window at them, smiling slightly. Oh, how wonderful it was to love and be loved… he vaguely remembered a feeling of a time long ago when he had been in love with the most beautiful girl…but the memory cut short and again, he was left with only the piano for companionship, its beautiful mahogany exoskeleton cluttered with papers, sheet music, long lost salted cashews, and dust.

He sat down on the worn bench and began to play a sorrowful tune, the ballad of a forgotten lover.

:P

"Aren't we going to be late for class?"

"Like you care."

"….you do have a point."

:P

"JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Mr. Bloor roared. "You shirk your classes, go wherever you please, whenever you please, without a second thought for the rest of us! You have duties, young man, and it's high time you acted responsibly and stuck with them."

He stopped for a moment to glare down at his son. "And no more of this fancying males business. Your actions are very closely watched and I'll not have you blackening the name of our family and this Academy!"

"But, Father—"

"NO! This nonsense has to _stop!_ There is a new girl scheduled to come. I suggest," suggest, used in the tone it was, meaning you-will-do-as-I-say-or-be-skinned-alive, "you take her into consideration. She does come from a rather well-off family."

The door closed behind him, leaving Manfred sitting slouching in a chair beside the four poster bed, glaring at the polished wood door. "All you care about it the money."

No wonder Mother had left. Maybe they were in love once…but things went bad…

Manfred shook his head. If luck held out, his father would retire to his room for a while to cool down. He could pack a few necessities and run away. Yes, he thought. That might be the solution to his problem.

_Oh. And of course, I'll be taking Asa with me._

:P

Asa cringed under the foreboding hulk of the fuming headmaster. "You, Asa Pike, will stay well away from my son. You two are causing raised eyebrows. Do you want the fair reputation of Bloor's to be marred by a foolish infatuation?"

Asa's head drooped. "No, sir."

"You have a detention for that, and one next week for skipping class."

The shining doorhandle rattled as it slammed shut, leaving Asa alone with his worries. He pulled his knees up to his chest and stared out the window. A few snowbirds perched on the ledge, pecking at the birdfeed he had left out for them.

He smiled. His heart longed for flight. If only he could sprout wings and fly away to some place, any place that would accept him for his true self.

Accept him even though he loved another boy.

:P

The digital clock beeped softly that it was midnight; the red numbers turned to 12:00. "Asa."

In the darkness, a body turned over, stretching. "Mmmm….no, give me the bananas, no one gets hurt…"

"Asa, wake up!"

"What?"

"Wake up. Hurry and get dressed. We're running away."

Asa blinked his yellow eyes at the moonlight pouring in the window. "Why?"

"Because," he said, kissing Asa on the cheek, "no one will tolerate us here. We'll find somewhere that does."

Asa smiled. "Alright. Give me five minutes."

"Three."

"Deal."

They thought that their troubles would end when they got away from Bloor's Academy…..

:P

End Chapter 1.

Please, I need title ideas. I could probably think of one if it wasn't 8:00 am and I hadn't been up since five.

Reviews? Please?


	2. The Mushrooms!

Somewhere I Belong

Notes: Thank you so much, Finnigan Irish, for reviewing, but it would be advisable, er…NOT, to kiss me. :) Thanks.

Disclaimer: Charlie Bone is not mine, altho I wish Asa was. I've got this thing with animal eyes…

Chapter 2.

_Father,_

_I have already gone by the time you read this letter. Asa Pike accompanies me. Do not bother to send anyone after us. By tomorrow we will no longer be in the country._

_Since you cannot accept who I am, and who I want to be with, I disown myself from you._

_Fare well._

_Signed,_

_Your former son._

:P

The night stood before them like a great new wilderness. The only luggage carried was a single back pack each. Now, standing at the edge of the school's massive drive, Asa stopped. Turned back around. "So this is it. After this…we're gone."

"Yes." Manfred reached over and gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "Let's get going."

:P

"Is it possible to disown yourself from someone?"

"I would guess so. Otherwise, I wouldn't have written it."

Asa's eyebrows furrowed. "But you've still got the same name."

"Not anymore." Manfred's smile was smugly triumphant.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll change it. Once we leave the country, we'll have to register in the one we're going to be living in. I'll make up one or something." By now there was a cheerful bounce in his step and Asa had to up his speed or risk falling behind. "We'll make it."

Asa stared around at the falling snow as they ran. It was the end of November now, and –"We should probably hurry, Manfred. I don't know how far it is to the station yet."

"I'm sure we've got at least another mile."

"And we're running the whole way?"

"Even if I have to carry you." Asa shook his head and kept running.

They didn't know that they were being followed.

:P

"Manfred, wait!" The older boy trotted a few more frustrated steps and spun 'round.

"What _is_ it, Asa?" The yellow slitted eyes looked around hopelessly as he bit his lip.

"Manfred, we've been in this clearing before." Manfred rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on. Every clearing looks the same. A bunch of snow, trees all around…"

"But there was a pattern to the mushrooms, red, white, yellow, and so forth. Look!"

In dawning horror, Manfred panned the mushrooms, half dishes growing straight out of the trees. _Red, white, yellow, red, white, yellow, red……_ "Are you sure?"

"Well, I was beginning to get bored with all the running so I memorized the mushroom patterns. Do you have any idea where we are?"

"I ken well where ye are, on me private property! Ye just _stay put_ or I'll shoot." Slowly, Asa and Manfred swung their gazes around to where a short fat man was aiming a musket at them from behind a tree.

"I'm sorry. We were lost. We didn't know this was anyone's private land," Asa explained. "Could you please help us?"

The man rolled his eyes and put down the gun. "Ah'right, ah'right… keep going east…no, ye idiot…that way… 'til ye've come to a tree marked on both sides with white mushrooms. Take a left and keep going in that direction until ye come to a road. But once ye take that turn, ye canna' look back for any reason."

"Well, why not?" demanded Manfred.

"The last person who looked back disappeared with a scream like a banshee. No body or nothin'. I'm not sayin' he was eated by banshees… I's jus' not a good idee." The man tipped his hat and turned back into the woods. "Fare well…"

Once he was gone, Asa and Manfred exchanged skeptical looks.

"Wait, I know that look."

"Well, there's not any other living person in this god-forsaken forest that knows the way out. Let's shove all the chips in that direction. What do we have to lose?"

"I could lose you." Asa smiled and grabbed Manfred's hand.

"Not if I'm holding on to you. Let's go."

"No turning back, huh?"

"Shut up and keep moving. We're going to miss the train."

The fat man with the musket rolled his eyes as the loud argument rang through the trees, growing fainter. "Almos' wish they would turn back…"

"Surely you don't mean that, sir."

The man growled at the insolent squirrel staring down the barrel of his gun and nibbling curiously at it like it was a harmless trumpet.

"I damn well meant what I said, Feldsborogh. Ye get yer bushy tail back at yer post."

The squirrel saluted and scampered back up its tree.

"Aiaiai…" Shaking his head, the man disappeared back into the trees.

:P

"All aboard!"

"Asa, hurry!"

"I'm trying! Wait! Please! Tickets? Manfred, you didn't lose them, did you? Oh, for God's sake…"

"I didn't lose them. Here."

"Hurry and board. Thirty seconds before we start moving."

"Dear God…"

"I thought you were an atheist."

"Agnostic. There's a difference."

"Oh."

"Crap. Split up or ask someone to move?"

"Make 'em move."

"Excuse me, ma'am? Oh, thank you. Uh…sure. Yeah. You too."

"I've just decided I don't like people."

"Really? What about me?"

"You're half-wolf. There's a difference."

"Did you see that boy?"

"Yellow eyes, honestly."

"Could be contact lenses. You can get 'em like that, you know."

"There's something completely wolfish about him, though."

"Umm… that's more than I needed to see."

"I knew there was something wrong with them."

"What's wrong with them, Mama?"

"Nothing. Just read your book."

"Ewww…That's gross. Kissin's gross."

"We should have a gimungous snog session just to gross the fuck out of everyone on this blasted train."

"Mmmm… (_Yawwwwwwn_)How about a nap first?"

"….alright."

:P

End chapter 2.

:P

Buahaha. Dialogue sessions are so much fun.

….Well? Comments? PLEASE! Hm… train… funny. I just got home from the theatre a bit ago, we saw The Polar Express. Beautiful movie. All computer animated. I was so impressed. :) Anyway… drop me a line.


	3. On The Banks of Moose Creek

Somewhere I Belong

By Suchan deFamine

Notes: Charlie Bone, not mine. Thank you, Mark of CTown for your review. I know how fucked up FFN is being. It's frustrating, no? And what about updating bios? It just off and erases all I had, and when I tried to update, put something more in it, it tells me I have a frucking invalid parameter value: . Do you have this, too?

Dear God. Well, I think you're here to read the story…so you don't have to read my crap up here. Go!....::chandelier falls:: Uhhhh….yeah. definitely a sign I've been listening to the Phantom of the Opera too much…….x.x

:P

Chapter 3

"I wonder what happened to that guy?"

"what guy?"

"The fat guy, with the musket."

"Oh. Probably went off to shoot some poor forest animal."

"But he kind of disapeared…" Asa looked over at the sleepy-eyed boy he loved so dearly. "Like fog…"

"Asa, dearest… you need to stop looking at things so scrutinizingly." He yawned, head propped against the armrest with the backpack for a pillow. Asa smiled, tucking a stray strand of Manfred's long, silky black hair behind his ear.

"You can sleep some more. We won't be there for another hour." But the black eyes were closed already, breathing deeply. "I think you're crazy, darlin', but I'll follow you wherever you go."

:P

"Follicles is a weird word."

"Follicles?"

"Follicles. Like, what your hair grows out of. Sorta thing."

"What brings this up?" Asa held up a pamphlet some nature dweeb had left on the table. It covered the cons of acid rain and the pros of recycling, but none of the pros of acid rain or cons of recycling.

"Something about acid rain burning everything, even your hair follicles."

Manfred stared into his expresso, watching the waves of brown liquid as he stirred it with a cinnamon stick. Asa cupped his hands around a mug of hot chocolate that was cold when he got it.

"This place sucks. I can see the lumps of instant mix they used."

"You focus too much on details."

"And you don't care enough."

"We balance the other out, big deal." Asa stared at his boyfriend, taking in the dark circles beneath his eyes.

And softly, "Manfred, we should find someplace to spend the night. You look exhausted. You're worrying too much."

"Okay." Asa flicked a coin on the table and they left.

:P

Manfred was out like a light once he hit the sheets of the cheap motel bed. Asa lovingly tucked him in and sat down near the bathroom door, picked up the pad of paper and pen left out on the desk.

Thursday—it was Thursday, wasn't it?—took train to London, acquired plane tickets for Denver, Colorado, USA. Checked into a motel 2 miles from airport.

Friday—leave at 8:30 am to get to 9:20 flight.

Sat.—arrive at Denver……

Then what? They both had passports already, that was no problem. But then what? Settle down in a quiet neighbourhood, get a job, attain citizenship…

"That sounds like a great idea, Asa, you writing that down?" Asa jumped. He hadn't realized he had been speaking aloud. He leaned into Manfred's warmth as the black haired boy wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry. We'll make this work."

"What are we making work?"

"This life we're headed for. It'll be good, you'll see."

"I hope so," Asa whispered, wrapping his arms around Manfred. "I sure do hope so."

:P

The town was called Moose Creek, even though there were no more moose in the area. The village square held all the little shops, a bakery, the bank, police station, grocery store, drug store, curio shop. Once again, the snow began to fall, frosting the ground with a fine white powder.

Ashley Pearce walked the aisles of the drugstore, trying to find everything on his list. There _were_ only fourteen days until Christmas, after all. Those cookies had to be made by tomorrow, packaged and delivered by Wednesday.

"Hey, Ash." He looked up. Lindy, the girl who worked the checkout, was smiling at him. "How's it going?"

"Not bad. You?" She shrugged.

"Just busy."

"I hear you." He turned into the next aisle, trying to look like he was concentrating on his list. Sure, Lindy was a nice girl and everything but she _liked him_ liked him. He didn't like girls. He liked guys. Or rather, guy. He had a boyfriend. They _had_ been engaged until that stupid president guy had messed up the public union bit.

AN: There ya go, Page of Cups. I do like him. Just that particular frame sets me off. And who can say whether or not we should have gone to war? What would have stopped Hussein if he had had weapons of mass destruction from using them against the USA? Just my two cents. From now on, no more politics. Just romance.

"So…Ashley. Doing anything tonight?" Oh, Lord have mercy. Ashley turned to look at the suave looking guy with his elbow on Ashley's shoulder.

"Baking. Why?"

"Oh," he said, looking only slightly deflated, "just wondered if you'd like to come out to the opening of the new Mexican restaurant with me."

"Jake, you know as well as I do I've already got a boyfriend and I'm not interested in you that way. This is getting really exasperating." Ash shrugged him off and scanned the shelves for almond extract.

"Jeez, Ash… it was just and offer for a friendly outing."

"Not if you're the Jake Creek I know."

He slunk away with a moody, "Well, have a nice Christmas."

"You too."

Man… if Manfred knew how Jake was constantly hitting on him…he'd kill Jake.

:P

"Asa, my darling." Manfred swept into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around his love, careful not to be stabbed with a cookie cutter.

"Jake was hitting on me again today."

"Again?" Manfred sighed. "It's hard to have the prettiest guy in Colorado. Everyone else wants him…"

"Don't try and flatter me. Wash up and help with the cookies."

"Yessuh." Manfred saluted, dodged the towel snapped at him and bounded up the stairs to change; Asa smiled at himself. Four years ago, he had thought that this wouldn't work out. But it was a beautiful life. Their home wasn't big and glamorous, but it was warm and welcoming. Asa's job didn't pay most of the bills, but it was enjoyable.

Manfred's "disowned" father probably had no clue where they were or no intent to find them. They lived in a friendly neighbourhood. The lady next door rattled on and on but she was a pleasant woman and she and Asa and Manfred got along pretty well.

Lost in his thoughts, Asa never heard the front door creak open, or the footsteps that resounded too quietly off the hardwood floor in the hall.

There was a hand on his mouth and a knife almost kissing his throat.

"Erk?"

"You come with me, little lady, and don't make a sound." _Little lady?!_

But Asa couldn't even nod as he was ushered roughly out of the back door and shoved carelessly into the backseat of a car, gagged and with rope around his wrists. As the warm house lit up with cheerful Christmas lights grew dim in the distance, Asa had only a prayer:

Please don't let me die.

End chapter 3.

:P

Hmm… mystery. How is it?


	4. It Was A Wonderful Life

Somewhere I Belong

By: Suchan deFamine aka crazy ass who listens to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack all Christmas break instead of Christmas music. God, how addictive it is.

2 da peepz: YAY! People actually like this! Now, if FFN can stop being such a fucking pain in the ass, maybe this story would look right… instead of starting with chapter two, going to chapter two, and so on. Dear God, how I hate this upgrade.

ANYWAY. You didn't come here to hear me rant and rave like an angry lunatic, did you? Nope. Here, take your cookies and go read.

:P

Chapter 4.

…..

Manfred found himself whistling 'White Christmas' on his way down the stairs and stopped. His feet slowed. There was no noise from the kitchen, and …certainly, he thought, rounding the corner, Asa wouldn't have let a cookie cutter fall on the floor…

By the way, where is he?

He stopped at the door and stared into the cheerfully lighted kitchen, strands of blue bulbs blinked happily at him from round the window. The light blue countertop was covered in flour, evidence of a Christmas baking frenzy, but the baker was nowhere in sight. Instead, a cloud of flour had fallen to the ground and led away to the back door in fainter and fainter footsteps.

Where the door lay open, swinging dangerously in the winter wind, there was a slip of paper stuck on the key hook, where the keys…to the car…always…were. Shit!

We've got him. If you want him back, come to 114 Seven Oaks Drive in your old neighbourhood. There you will find him… if you hurry.

_Signed…your former father._

God damn his soul to hell! (It probably was already but it couldn't hurt to think that…)

That was the final straw. He was going to find Asa and murder his father. Even if it is against the law.

:P

That night, Manfred packed a coat and an extra change of clothes, locked all the doors and windows, and set out for Great Britain, to save his love.

:P

It was taking all his strength not to start banging his head against the window.

"But then Abby walked right in with the cake and says, 'What's all the fuss?' Can you believe it?"

'I can't believe they haven't locked you up yet,' Manfred grumbled silently to himself. Of all the people, ALL the people, to get stuck sitting by on the plane…it had to be Old Flapjaw. The old lady had the charm of a raccoon in your picnic basket.

He grabbed the headset next to him and jammed it on his ears. The in-flight movie was It's A Wonderful Life.

George stopped her. "What is it you want, Mary? Do you want the moon? Just say the word and I'll lasso it for you."

He smirked. Well, at least the lesser of the two evils had a plot.

"And then what?"

"Well…then you'll swallow it, and it'll all dissolve and the moonbeams will shoot out of your fingers and toes and the ends of your hair…"

Manfred smiled sadly, the hole in his heart gaping. He closed his eyes and hoped to God he'd find Asa in time.

The old lady dug in her purse for pictures. "This one's of my great-grandniece, Alberta. She lives in Canada…"

:P

Manfred rushed out of the airport and tapped a guy hailing a taxi. "Hey. Where're you headed?"

The man looked at him strangely. "I'm headed for the Heights, over in Canterbury. Why?"

(AN: Canterbury? Why not. I'm not familiar with England so if someone who is would like to suggest a vagueishlocation wherethe Heightswould be located.... thanks so much...)

"Can I come with you?"

Another weirded out glance. "How come?"

"I'll pay for half your taxi fare."

"Well…alright. Hop in."

Manfred caught himself before hugging the grumpy, sleepless-looking man before him.

"Thank you."

"Yeah."

And he was already a thousand miles closer.

:P

End Chapter 4

:P

….hmmm. Manfred Bloor asking for help from someone? Begging, no less. I think I'm hallucinating.

Manfred: ::jams a bucket over Suchan's head:: Get over yourself.

Asa: o.o;

Charlie: ::happened to be walking by at the moment::

Manfred: That's a detention, Bone.

Charlie: What for?

Manfred: For stealing my cookie!

Suchan: Those were supposed to be for the readers, dear.

Manfred: ::looks around shiftily:: What they don't know can't hurt em.. er…uh… bye! ::grabs Asa and skedaddles::

Asa: OO; ::sweatdrops:: GWAH! PUT ME DOOOOOOOWN!!

Suchan: o.O MMMkay. Reviews?

OH! I need someone...once I get chapter six up... to beta the epilogue for me. Volunteers?


	5. The Hero's Too Late

Somewhere I Belong

By: Suchan deFamine

NOTES: ::Gasp:: I actually have no notes. Except to thank you for reading this... and you'll be happy to know I've got it finished so I might go back to Cram Session (HP) or Happily Never AFter (HP) and work on that over break. I've stil got until sunday.....

Let's go.

:P

Chapter 5.

:P

Manfred pulled out a twenty and handed it to the man.

"What's this?"

"Oh. Sorry. I forgot. Not in America anymore, am I? Would that be enough, then?"

"Plenty. Thank you. God bless you in your travels." The man tipped his hat as Manfred stepped out of the cab.

"Thanks, but I'm an atheist."

The cab door slammed and the car sped off down Widget Lane. The black haired man now stood at the corner of Widget and Palm. It was still three streets to Seven Oaks, but Manfred pressed on, eager to get there before dark.

The building loomed ahead of him, dark windows glinting with the light of a burning, setting sun. The orange light threw weird shadows everywhere, like demon spectres reaching out with their ghostly claws to drag him into the darkness.

Manfred could feel the hair standing up on the back of his neck. Scared? Manfred Bloor? HAH. He didn't think so. He strode purposefully up to the door and slammed the enormous knocker into the back plate a few times.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then a large sphere on a mechanical claw popped out of a spot in the wall. An optical device slid open and examined Manfred's face.

"State name and business."

"Manfred Bloor, rescue mission." Wonderful choice.

Another claw reached out and plucked a piece of his hair. Manfred grabbed hishead where the root had been yanked out. "What the fuck was that for?"

But the claw had subsided back into the wall.

"DNA confirmed. Access granted. Enter, Manfred Bloor."

"Cloddy run-down place like this… who needs a security system? Nothing of value here…" Manfred muttered to himself as the door slid open. _Except Asa._

He stepped inside, meeting a wall of darkness.

The door slid shut with a thud.

:P

A dark, booming voice rang out of the darkness. "Well done, my boy. It only took you two days to get here."

"Dr. Bloor?"

"That would be me."

"Where is he?"

"He who?" Dr. Bloor was deliberately being unhelpful. From his comfy, Italian-leather computer chair, he focused on a single monitor before him. A flick of a switch turned on a light in the front room. Manfred blinked in the sudden bright light.

"You know who I'm…talking about…?" He looked around confusedly. Dr. Bloor began to laugh, a great, booming, mirthless laugh.

"I am nowhere near you. Neither is your precious lover. He is held in a cell deep in a tunnel below this building. If you wish to save him…by all means, go and find him." Another switch, and a wall-mounted floodlight shone over a darkened doorway, with stairs down faintly outlined.

Manfred glared at no one in particular and ran towards the door.

"You have twenty minutes. After that, Scar will take care of him."

As the triumphant, evil laughter chased after him down the stairs, Manfred really hoped they weren't leading to a labyrinth.

:P

End Chapter 5.

:P

Sorry about the shortness… I hate it when you get this rush of madness where you just HAVE to write the next chapter… and then it drops you out in a barren cornfield with no energy left.

Anyway, how is it?


	6. The Slide to Death

Somewhere I Belong

By Suchan deFamine

Notes before we begin:...nothing much except I need a beta for the last chapter. It just doesn't sound right.... thanks for any volunteers. but please email me about this.

:P

Chapter 6.

:P

The bright glow of the watch threw a small halo of green light into the tunnel, but it was barely enough to see where he was going. Manfred growled at himself for not bringing a torch. Really, when he thought about it, it should have been the first thing packed.

The tunnel had been going straight for a while but suddenly cut a sharp right turn and began to tilt downwards. The degree was not steep, but the floor was a slippery, polished cement. Manfred noticed that it was also growing smaller.

All at once, the floor began to drop down more sharply, and despite his best efforts to brace himself against the walls, Manfred slipped and found himself sliding steadily downwards with all sorts of twists and turns, like on a curvy slide at the playground.

_But,_ he mused, _I've got a feeling this slide won't lead to any fun…_

The slide dropped sharply.

:P

Poof! Manfred landed on a large, white puffy something that softened the fall. It rippled like a flag outwards, and, after a quick glance around, he scrambled to the edge and hopped off onto the hard, stone floor. It was weird to be on solid ground again after so much moving.

"Nice work. A minute to spare." The dark voice echoed around the expanse of the room, blank walls bouncing back the waves. A plasma screen was lowered from the ceiling and turned on.

The picture faded in to Dr. Bloor's chiseled face, smirking with malice. "But I don't think this will be enough to save your precious Asa. For you see, Scar has already been dispatched to the cell…"

"Well, tell me where it is, damnit!"

"You won't have enough time to get to it anyway."

Manfred watched helplessly as the lights in the room dimmed and the blue glow from the plasma screen illuminated the puff and his figure. The screen crackled for a minute, and then displayed a holding cell, with a body folded up in defeat in a corner. A door clicked, and the red head looked up.

"Asa…"

A horribly patched up man, if one could call it that, strode in with a battle axe that looked like it came from the 1700's.

"You took long enough," was Asa's first comment. "But before you dismember me, I'd just like to ask you a favour."

Scar looked confused, and looked to the speaker. Dr. Bloor said, "Go ahead."

"Tell Manfred since the second coil isn't working, the gingerbread needs to be put in at 400 and baked for 15 minutes."

Manfred's heart dropped. "What the hell…?"

"You got all that?" Asa asked the camera stationed discreetly in the top corner of his box. Manfred nodded, even knowing Asa couldn't see him.

Scar took a step forward, but Asa yelled, "Wait! One more thing. Just…tell him I love him…I'm sorry it had to end this way…" He bit his lip. "That's it."

Manfred stepped back and sat on the edge of the poof and covered his face with his hands. His heart was melting right out of his chest, he could feel it. The helplessness closed in around his throat.

With a pop, the screen turned off, but Manfred still heard a sickening noise…his stomach lurched. Manfred glared when his eyes began to water. "Damn you," he whispered, tears rolling off his cheeks. "Damn you…"

But there was nothing he could do…except find a way out. And kill him.

He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, turned the watch light back on, and began to search the walls for a door.

:P

The ghostly light hit a doorframe, with a heavy lock. Like a prison door. Knowing he wasn't going to like a bit what he was going to see, Manfred chanced a look between the bars of the window. The light illuminated a small, curled-up body, and several bloodstains on the wall.

He closed his eyes and moved on.

What a way to get revenge. Injured honour, who gives? Carving his heart out with a battle axe wasn't the most clever, but certainly the most painful.

"How do I get out of here?"

"Left five paces, there's a door. That should put you outside." The echoes of the speaker rattled the poof, he could hear it from across the room.

"Is there a door anywhere that will lead me to you?"

A dark chuckle. "Not a chance, dear boy. By all means, stay here as long as you like…but remember, you've got a last wish to fulfill."

"The cookies, I know." Manfred sighed, then added with a growl, "But don't think you've gotten the best of me here. This is _not_ over."

He reached the stairs that led up to the door, and stepped back out into the world. And blinked.

He was staring down the driveway of Bloor's Academy. Turning around, Manfred noticed a single light shining in the tower, where his old room was. A thin, dark figure was watching him.

_Whoa….déjà vu._ Manfred waved and headed back down the drive, face and heart blank. Suddenly, the old feeling of needing to escape harassed him, and he ran.

:P

End Chapter 6.

:P

No, it's not over yet, ladies and gents. The fat lady hasn't sung. Nope, stay in your seats because there's still more to come….


	7. Epilogue

Somewhere I Belong

By Suchan deFamine

:P

Chapter 7, aka Epilogue

:P

Manfred worked carefully, slowly, soullessly, to form the gingerbread dough into cutesy angels…Asa's list had meant them for the neighbour children. They were baked, packaged, delivered with a fake smile and a sincere Merry Christmas.

At last he was alone at home with nothing left to do. The small tree twinkled merrily at him from the corner of the living room. He threw it a sorry glance. "I didn't know disowning him would make him that vengeful." The tree rustled slightly with the vent two feet away from it.

"I mean, he was being a total bastard and completely…just not understanding at all. What else was I supposed to do? If we'd stayed, what would he have done to Asa?" A white bulb near the top blinked. "It was great here. People were friendly, didn't care that we're both men… 'cept for that Jake guy. He'll get his one day." And the angel at the very tip-top of the tree bent slightly in a knowing nod.

"And here I am sitting talking to a tree."

'_Go back.'_

Manfred's eyebrow lifted, eyes widening. "Aaaaand the tree's talking back. Congrats, Manfred, you're clinically insane."

But it couldn't have been the tree. Hell, even I don't know where the voice came from.

It persisted: _'To the forest…go back to the forest…'_

And an idea dawned in his mind like a rising sun. "Of course! The fat guy with the musket! Now all I have to do is go get myself lost in the forest!" He stopped. "Dear God, if anyone heard me, they'd think I'd gone batty."

He shrugged, smiled, grabbed his coat. "I prob'ly have. Don't have Asa here to keep me sane."

:P

Another flight back to England would set them back a few months, but at the time Manfred didn't care. Nothing could possibly be worse. He had talked to a tree that talked back to him, told him to go to the forest where they met a crazy man who warned them about turning around once they'd made a left turn past the tree with white mushrooms on both sides.

And they'd gotten out alright.

The answer was staring him in the face: plain as a gingerbread cookie. He had to retrace their steps of flight. He didn't know what would happen, but if the tree ended up leaving him on a wild goose hunt, he'd go back to the USA and hack it into pieces himself.

:P

Red, white, yellow, red, white, yellow, red…Definitely the right place. 

"Hm. I wonder how I get out now," Manfred said to no one in particular.

"Ye don't," growled a gruff voice. Manfred turned around, now face to face with a dirty, unshaven, angry little man who had a barrel musket aimed at his heart. The face widened in recognition. "Yer that boy."

"I am that boy."

The man took a few steps back, but the hurtful end of the gun remained pointed at Manfred. "Well, what're ye doin' back here?" He looked around and behind Manfred. "'N' where's the weasely one?"

"He's… not here anymore," said Manfred nervously.

The man smirked, lowered his gun, and stared at Manfred, chuckling. "Then ye've come ta try out the Legend."

"Legend?"

"Aboot th' tree with th' mushrooms, and, th' no turnin' back bit."

"Oh. I would suppose so. The tree told me to come back here." Manfred felt slightly stupid telling him that.

He grunted, shaking his head. Manfred knew the man thought he was crazy. "Stupid trees. Believers in true love an' all that nonsense." Manfred raised an eyebrow.

"Trees believe in true love? Have you talked to them?" he asked.

"All the time. That's how they led me ta ye, an intruder on my forest." The man raised the musket, thought, lowered it again and muttered, "Damn you, Amelia. I can' jus' let 'im go. He's intrudin' on purpose!"

'_Let him go to the Old One.'_

"Fine. Keep goin' east 'til ye get to th' tree with th' mushrooms on both sides, turn left."

"And then what?"

The man stared at him, dark blue eyes glinting like steel. "Iono. Ye want t' test th' spirits, be me guest. Talk t' th' Old One if ye feel like it."

"The Old One?"

It was taking all his strength not to hit the boy with his musket.

'_Louis, he has been through a hard time. Let him go on his way.'_

"All RIGH', Amelia! The tree, boy, the tree. That's the Old One." He glared at Manfred once more before he turned to trudge back into the forest.

The snowflakes swirling around his feet, Manfred watched him go. The tree the man had been talking to seemed to bend a branch in the direction he had been pointed.

"Thanks." In a little while, but more time than he remembered, he was face to face with the tree they called the Old One. This time, he felt more than stupid talking to the tree. He cleared his throat.

"Hello?"

'_Hello.'_

Manfred stopped and stared. "I need to go left, then?"

A low branch on the tree's left side stretched out, a quivering leaf pointing.

"Alright. Thanks." He bowed slightly, politely, and began to walk that direction. "See you around." After several feet, Manfred stopped.

A whistling sound was swirling through the bare limbs of the trees from behind him, like a song. Not exactly birdlike, but a very pretty, mesmerizing tune.

Out of curiosity, he began to turn around. "Stop! Don't turn around!" And, face squidged in confusion, he stopped and looked back the way he had been headed. That voice…so familiar…

A familiar, small, pale, ghostly hand grasped his, a familiar soft voice whispered, "I'm back."

:P

It was Friday. Amy Bone had come to pick up her son from Bloor's Academy. Charlie was waiting by the door on a bench.

Soft footsteps alighted on the stairs and stopped. Charlie looked up. Mr. Pilgrim was staring not at him, but past him. Mrs. Bone put away her umbrella and smiled at Charlie. "Ready to go?"

"Amy…"

She looked up. Mr. Pilgrim was smiling, and she smiled back.

_Fin. _

:P

MUAHAHAHA. What'd you think? Aparently, you don't think I need a beta if you commanded me to continue without one...how is it?! (hops)


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